Chapter 142: Chapter 134: Marvelous Skill
After bidding the two women farewell, Zhu Ju returned to his residence. He took out the two Secret Manuals for Magic he had obtained from the Otherworld and placed them before him.
The Profound Light Technique!
This technique used one’s Divine Soul, merged with the Power of Heaven and Earth, to perceive the outside world. It was considered a relatively common high-tier Magic in the Magic World.
With his current Cultivation, it wouldn’t be difficult to cast.
After a brief attempt, he already had a grasp of the basics.
"My heart’s Profound Light, illuminate the eight directions."
"Go!"
As he guided the Spell, a wisp of his Divine Soul separated from his Forehead Ancestral Acupoint, gathering and merging with the surrounding Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.
The movement of all things leaves a trace.
The Profound Light Technique worked by using the fluctuations in the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi to project distant scenes before his eyes.
It was like an adjustable telescope.
Zhu Ju opened his eyes.
The Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi in front of him formed a screen of light that slowly unfurled, revealing a scene of his very own courtyard.
It was just shrunk down many times over.
With a thought, the scene within the light screen shifted.
It was like a three-dimensional image that could be adjusted for viewing from any angle, and the scene was exceptionally clear.
It was clearly more comprehensive than sending out his Divine Soul in the form of a hawk to patrol.
"Hmm..."
’The Profound Light Technique is indeed more exquisite than the Round Light Technique. It consumes less, is more covert, and provides a clearer image.’
Zhu Ju’s gaze flickered. He sent his Divine Thought soaring upward, merging it into the clouds and mist around Dragon Head Peak. Instantly, the entirety of the vast mountain filled his "vision."
The mountains undulated and Primordial Energy surged. Countless complex Spiritual Lights intertwined in the air as various auras rose and fell.
Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi was not evenly distributed throughout the world; it was abundant in some places and scarce in others.
Places with an abundance of it could be called Primordial Energy nodes.
Also known as Spiritual Lands!
Cultivating in a Spiritual Land had subtle, transformative benefits for Cultivators.
The three peaks occupied by the three lineages of the Bright Void Sect were the Spiritual Lands with the most abundant Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi within a thousand-li radius.
The Profound Light Technique not only allowed one to view distant places, it also possessed the marvelous ability to observe Qi.
’No wonder!’
’No wonder my Cultivation progress on Dragon Head Peak feels so much faster than in the Otherworld. So this is the reason.’
Zhu Ju had a sudden realization.
Suddenly.
"Hmph!"
Before he could observe in detail, the cold snort exploded in his mind, directly shattering his Spiritual Soul Perception.
"What audacity! Who dares to spy on Dragon Head Peak?"
SWOOSH!
Zhu Ju’s heart pounded wildly as he immediately dispersed that wisp of his Divine Soul. At some point, a layer of cold sweat had broken out on his forehead.
’I was careless!’
’This is Dragon Head Peak, one of the three lineages of the Bright Void Sect. Even without the Magic from the Magic World, powerful Cultivators can still sense a prying Divine Thought.’
’That voice just now must have been Martial Uncle Fengg Wuju. His voice alone nearly broke through the defense of my Purifying Heart Bodhi. It far surpasses the Divine Thought of a Great Mage... Truly terrifying!’
After remaining on tenterhooks for a long while, Zhu Ju finally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that no one had pursued him. He secretly rejoiced:
’Phew, that was lucky!’
’Luckily, there are no Dao Foundation Cultivators stationed on Dragon Head Peak, and Martial Uncle Fengg is injured. Otherwise...’
’The consequences would have been unimaginable!’
Shaking his head, he hastily stopped using the Profound Light Technique, not daring to try again.
Although the technique was good, its ’spying’ nature could easily incur the wrath of a powerful expert. It was best to use it with caution.
The Celestial Dragon Eight Sounds!
Whether in the Main World or the Otherworld, Sound Skills had always been rare, and this type of Magic was even more so. Fortunately, with Yuanding’s guidance, achieving the Entry Level was not difficult.
Zhu Ju cleared his mind of stray thoughts, adjusted his posture, formed a seal with each hand, and uttered a low sound.
"Om!"
The sound did not travel outward.
As the Method activated, sound waves began to ripple.
The sound from his mouth merged with the intent within his Divine Soul, transforming into sound waves, invisible to the naked eye, that rushed toward his Physical Body.
The sound waves were like faint ripples, surging toward his limbs and bones, washing, cleansing, and tempering his Physical Body.
Hm?
Frowning, Zhu Ju opened his eyes.
The Celestial Dragon Eight Sounds was truly profound. The concept of using sound waves and the Divine Soul to cleanse the Physical Body was eye-opening, and he now understood why it was called the foremost auxiliary Body Tempering Secret Technique of the Buddhist Sect.
But,
It was too weak!
His Physical Body had been tempered a thousand times and was comparable to being forged from refined iron. The Divine Thought that was supposed to cleanse his whole body had no effect at all.
It was like a child wielding a great hammer; even when he used the Celestial Dragon Eight Sounds with all his might, it only elicited a slight reaction from his Earth Evil True Body.
It had no tempering effect whatsoever.
After some thought, Zhu Ju took out the Dragon Eye Bodhi and placed it under his tongue.
A cool, refreshing sensation jolted his senses.
The Dragon Eye Bodhi was a Curious Object from the Buddhist Sect. According to Yuanding, it could enhance the effects of the Celestial Dragon Eight Sounds.
"Om!"
The syllable sounded again.
Zhu Ju’s eyelids twitched.
This time, the ripples were more than ten times stronger than before. They were like a surging tide rushing through his limbs and bones, yet he felt no violent vibrations whatsoever.
It silently cleansed his entire body.
"Hum!"
"Ma!"
"Pad!"
"..."
The sound waves were vast, missing no detail.
Each syllable had its own distinct effect. The eight sounds chained together and intertwined, washing back and forth inside his body.
In Zhu Ju’s view, the Martial Arts of the Main World involved breathing in Primordial Energy to temper one’s flesh, blood, tendons, and bones, emphasizing personal strength—especially physical power.
Magic, on the other hand, used the Divine Soul to comprehend the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, employing methods of a Thousand Transformations to command limitless Primordial Energy.
Both methods had their own profundities.
By comparison, the Physical Body was like a small world unto itself, hiding countless mysteries. Tempering it to Perfection was almost impossible.
Even with all of Zhu Ju’s opportunities and the Methods he cultivated, though it seemed he had never taken a wrong step, he had still developed some imperceptible blockages from taking too many medicinal pills.
Moreover, from consuming Demon Beast Flesh, a great deal of Evil Qi had coiled and knotted in the most minute parts of his body.
These issues were not apparent under normal circumstances, but at a critical moment, they could lead to a grave mistake or even obstruct his Cultivation Path.
It wasn’t just that he couldn’t perceive these hidden issues; even an expert with all Nine Acupoints Opened would likely be unable to avoid them.
Gold is never perfectly pure, and no man is without flaws.
It had always been this way!
But now.
Wave after wave of vast sound washed over him, and those blocked areas silently opened.
His whole body felt clear and unobstructed!
WHOOSH...
A great deal of Evil Qi hidden deep within his Physical Body silently emerged, only to be swept up by the circulating Five Peaks True Form Force and integrated into his Five Elements Evil Qi.
Under the cleansing of the Celestial Dragon Eight Sounds, Zhu Ju’s Physical Body became increasingly clear and approached Perfection, like a Buddha’s Treasure Glaze.
Even his Cultivation increased at a rate visible to the naked eye.
An unknown amount of time passed.
Zhu Ju slowly opened his eyes, a complex expression on his face. He opened his mouth and spat out the Buddha Eye Bodhi, which was now two full sizes smaller.
"The Celestial Dragon Eight Sounds!"
"What an incredible Magic!"
This single Cultivation session had increased his Power of Physical Body by a full thirty percent. His Earth Evil True Body was now racing toward the Perfection Realm, and his Inner Qi Cultivation had also skyrocketed.
And even...
...there were signs of his second Eye Acupoint breaking open.
’Cleansing the Divine Soul, all the Acupoints, the Physical Body...’
’It truly is worthy of being called the number one auxiliary Method in the Magic World for tempering the Physical Body. If I had the Three Professions Purification Bell...’
Zhu Ju’s fingers trembled slightly. An impulse to go to Longmen Temple and steal the Buddha Treasure unexpectedly rose in his heart.
If the Three Professions Purification Bell had the same effect as the Buddha Heart Bodhi, he was confident he could break open his second Acupoint within a month, and opening the rest would then be twice as easy.
*
*
*
「Before dawn.」
DONG...
DONG!
Urgent bell chimes rang out from the summit of Dragon Head Peak, the vast sound waves sweeping across the entire mountain like a gale.
Zhu Ju, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, snapped them open. He silently counted the chimes, and his heart went cold.
Eighteen consecutive chimes. All who hear must present themselves!
Those who fail to appear without cause will be expelled from the Sect!
SWOOSH!
His figure flashed as he vaulted out of his courtyard.
From high above, it was as if all of Dragon Head Peak had suddenly come alive, as figure after figure streaked toward the summit platform.
"Senior Brother Zhu!"
Ning Ruxue appeared nearby, beads of sweat on her forehead as she hastily straightened her clothes. She asked with a panicked look on her face:
"What’s happening?"
"I don’t know." Zhu Ju shook his head.
"Let’s head up and see."
By the time the two of them reached the summit, the vast plaza was already filled with people, yet no one uttered a word.
The morning light was hazy.
Three enormous Flying Ships hovered silently in midair.
Several terrifying auras belonging to Dao Foundation Cultivators churned in the air, pressing down on everyone’s hearts like great mountains.
SWOOSH!
SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
Figure after figure leaped onto the platform, their expressions changing drastically without exception. They all obediently found a place to stand.
Before long, the plaza was filled with the disciples of the Dragon Head Lineage.
There were Core True Inheritance disciples, Inner Sect White Robe disciples, and even Outer Sect servants—several hundred people in total gathered together.
"Disciples of the Bright Void Sect, hear my command!"
A vast voice echoed through the void:
"Follow me to slay fiends and purge Demons!"
WUUUMMM...
A powerful suction force descended from the sky. The disciples rose into the air uncontrollably, pulled toward the three Flying Ships.
Only then did the crowd realize that the three Flying Ships were already filled with disciples from the Celestial Sword and Flying Phoenix lineages. An invisible Stern Slaughter Intent permeated the air.
"Depart!"
BOOM!
Accompanied by a deafening roar, the three giant, hundred-zhang-long Flying Ships burst through the clouds and shot into the distance.
The sea of clouds was battered into wisps of mist by the massive ships, which left long-lasting trails in the void. By the time everyone came to their senses, they had already traveled several li.
"The Void Treasure Ships!"
Ning Ruxue’s voice was filled with amazement.
"These are the very foundation of the Bright Void Sect! It’s said that activating them just once consumes over a thousand Spirit Stones."
"For all three to be deployed..."
"What are we going to do?"
"Annihilate the Five Poison Sect," a remarkably handsome man nearby said, cupping his fists.
"I am Xiao Bufan. A pleasure to meet you, Senior Brother, Senior Sister."
"So you’re Xiao Bufan." Ning Ruxue’s lovely eyes glinted as she looked him over.
"The one who used to flourish by Cao Xiong’s side, but betrayed him the moment the tide turned, climbing to your position over his dead body?"
"Er..." Xiao Bufan’s expression stiffened.
"That’s not how it was."
"Never mind!"
"I have long heard of Senior Brother Zhu’s astonishing Talent. Seeing you today, you are indeed extraordinary. To have reached Minor Achievement in your True Body after only Breaking One Acupoint."
"Hm?" Ning Ruxue turned her head, her face full of surprise.
"You’ve achieved Minor Achievement in your Earth Evil True Body?"
Generally, Minor Achievement in the Earth Evil True Body is something only accomplished by disciples who are at Breaking Three Acupoints, or those at Breaking One Acupoint who have cultivated painstakingly for a full sixty-year cycle.
’How many years has Zhu Ju even been cultivating?’
"It was a stroke of luck."
Zhu Ju nodded.
"Junior Brother Xiao is quite impressive yourself. The Method you’re cultivating... does it have traces of the Five Poison Sect?"
"Correct." Xiao Bufan looked surprised, then nodded.
"Back when I was with Cao Xiong, I had to cultivate the Ten Thousand Poison True Body as well in order to gain his trust."
"And that’s how I knew about today’s operation."
"I know the Five Poison Sect offended us," Ning Ruxue said, walking to the edge of the Flying Ship and cautiously glancing down.
"But..."
"...did they really need to cause such a huge stir?"
"I agree." Xiao Bufan also looked puzzled.
"Theoretically, this shouldn’t be necessary. I’m guessing the Sect Leader plans to use this as an opportunity to intimidate others."
"You both know that ever since the Sect relocated to the Ten Thousand Mountains, quite a few groups have had their eyes on us."
"Silence!" a cold voice cut in.
"You three, come over here."
"Yes."
"Brother Shen."
"..."
The three of them complied and obediently moved to stand behind Shen Youx.
"Stick with me later, and don’t run off. Your Cultivation is too low, so there’s no need for you to play the hero."
"Yes."
Not long after, the three Flying Ships came to a halt in the void.
Immediately after, three pillars of light connecting heaven and earth materialized and blasted down violently toward the mountains below.
BOOM!
Mountains collapsed, rubble flew everywhere, and a violent tremor shook the land for a hundred li. An endless plume of dust and smoke shot into the sky.
"My heavens..."
Ning Ruxue let out a gasp, staring dumbstruck at the scene below. Her legs felt so weak she could barely stand.
At this moment, "world-destroying" no longer felt like a mere adjective!
Zhu Ju’s expression was equally grave. He had seen Late-Stage Qi Cultivation Cultivators leap a hundred zhang in a single bound, and he had witnessed Dao Foundation Cultivators soar through the sea of clouds.
But...
...to shatter a mountain in a single strike.
’What kind of power is this?’
The collapsed, shattered mountains blocked off a canyon, and the colorful, poisonous miasma within was torn to shreds.
The Five Poison Sect’s headquarters came into view.
’How long has it been?’
The Void Treasure Ships had brought over a thousand disciples of the Bright Void Sect to the home of the Five Poison Sect.
